Filing VFR flight plan for SFRA

[UngaWunga]

I've only filed a VFR flight plan once, as part of my training. Sad, I know. Need to work on that.

When flying into the DC SFRA, the instructions state file an IFR flight plan for the SFRA, and then activate it when contacting Potomac Approach. That last part I'm confused with. Because its an IFR flight plan we're filing for our VFR flight, it assigns us a transponder code, right? And Potomac App can just look that up with our tail #? "Potomac Approach, SpamCan 12345, VFR inbound to 2W5" is enough?

I'm going to retake the SFRA course again...

 

[Marks]

IFR, no need for a SFRA flight plan as long as the IFR plan is active.

VFR, you need to file a SFRA plan, which is different than the normal VFR plan, your way points start with the "gate" of entry and then destination and maybe waypoints to the dest, or if you're flying through it, "gate, way points, gate". If you're using flight following with a specific transponder code, the controller you're talking to will say you're cleared into the SFRA. If you're not using flight following, you contact Potomac on a freq specific to that gate PRIOR to entry.

VFR, DO NOT enter until you hear the magic words to do so..

Example of my VFR SFRA flight plan from KFDK to KOXB using the corridor without flight following:

WOLLY-VPONX-VPOOP-PALEO
That's it, no departure airport or arrival, just gates and waypoints.

That's my short(late night) answer.

 

[UngaWunga]

Yes. I get that. The SFRA instructions say to file a IFR flight plan for VFR flight into the SFRA. The question was about the controller. If I have FF heading towards the SFRA, I imagine I'll get transferred to the SFRA controller at the gate I'm entering in. Do I need to state anything to active the flight plan I filed earlier with DUATs?

 

[Bonchie]

Yes. I get that. The SFRA instructions say to file a IFR flight plan for VFR flight into the SFRA. The question was about the controller. If I have FF heading towards the SFRA, I imagine I'll get transferred to the SFRA controller at the gate I'm entering in. Do I need to state anything to active the flight plan I filed earlier with DUATs?

If you are on FF, you do nothing you wouldn't normally do on FF. They'll get you to who you need to talk to and clear you in without having to ask. You'll likely keep the code they've already given you earlier.

If you aren't on FF, contact approach outside the SFRA, let them know your location, and that you have an SFRA flight plan on file. Do not enter the SFRA without being cleared in.

 

[4CornerFlyer]

I would suggest that you file the DC area flight plan by phone with the FSS unless you are intimately familiar with the procedures.
Jon

 

[weilke]

It is called an 'SFRA flight plan' and any AFSS briefer is supposed to know how to do it. On the back-end, it is an IFR flight plan with a VFR altitude from a 'gate' to the airport. Use the word 'SFRA flight plan', not 'VFR flight plan'. You want it to be routed to potomac approach, not FSS.

You can do the same via DUATs by filing it as IFR flight plan from PALEO to 2W5 using 035 for the initial altitude.

You have iirc -1hr/+2hrs to pick up your SFRA flight plan. When you depart NH, you should be able to know your arrival time with a 3hr window.

There are a couple of 'SFRA controllers' who attend to the published SFRA frequences. Those desks are only manned separately on busy days. When things are slow, the SFRA frequencies are combined with regular approach frequencies. If you are on flight following, you are talking to a regular approach controller. There is no need to ask for a frequency change to a SFRA frequency. The controller you are already talking to will either keep you on your existing squawk or issue you a new one for the SFRA entry. Make sure you hear a 'transponder observed' and 'proceed as requested'. Typically you also get a 'remain clear of class B'. If you have any doubts, contrary to popular belief, there is no penalty for asking whether you are 'cleared into the SFRA'. While nitpicky nitpickers will berate you that there is nothing like a 'clearance' to enter the SFRA, every controller working those positions knows what you mean and will confirm that you are ok by telling you 'proceed as requested' or 'proceed SFRA inbound'.

If you arrive from the north to 2W5, you can either
- scoot around under the shelf of the bravo at 1500 or 2500
- stay under the outer shelf below 3500
- get really lucky and be approved to continue at a higher altitude through the bravo (that is if Andrews is not busy)

 

[Bravo]

File via ForeFlight is easy as well. I normally go IFR but have gone in VFR a few times. If arriving from outside, Just say something like this: "Potomac Approach, Cessna 123AB 20 miles west of LUCKE Gate, VFR inbound to --------- with S...F...R...A on file"

 

[Sundancer]

IFR, no need for a SFRA flight plan as long as the IFR plan is active.

VFR, you need to file a SFRA plan, which is different than the normal VFR plan, your way points start with the "gate" of entry and then destination and maybe waypoints to the dest, or if you're flying through it, "gate, way points, gate". If you're using flight following with a specific transponder code, the controller you're talking to will say you're cleared into the SFRA. If you're not using flight following, you contact Potomac on a freq specific to that gate PRIOR to entry.

VFR, DO NOT enter until you hear the magic words to do so..

Example of my VFR SFRA flight plan from KFDK to KOXB using the corridor without flight following:

WOLLY-VPONX-VPOOP-PALEO
That's it, no departure airport or arrival, just gates and waypoints.

That's my short(late night) answer.

Roger all that, and if you don't get an answer on your "gate" freq above, use the freq published on the sectional for your direction of approach.

 

[catmandu]

File an SFRA flight plan. If you do it on the phone, tell them you are filing an SFRA flight plan and answer the questions they pose. If you are doing it electronically, you select IFR as the flight plan type, VFR/XXX where XXX is altitude in hundreds of feet for the cruise altitude, and put SFRA in the remarks. Entry point is the nearest 'gate' to your planned route, so if you are going from NH to 2w5, and avoiding the FRZ by navigating to OTT, I would say PALEO is the appropriate gate. You do NOT have to fly directly to PALEO, but filing that as your entry point will put a 'strip' at the console for that particular area.

On flight following approaching the SFRA? Likely no further administrative action necessary as long as you are within the '30 minutes prior to 2 hours after' of the entry time on the SFRA flight plan you filed, you will keep the same squawk and talk to the same controller as you enter the SFRA. No need to ask for or receive 'clearance' for the SFRA, it will be transparent.

Occasionally, things happen, and your flight following controller will not be able to find the strip for your SFRA flight plan. They will ask, "Did you file an SFRA flight plan?" to which the answer should always be "yes" and you will be on your way (they might ask you what time you filed for entry, to which you should look at your watch and add 10 minutes to the current time).

If for some reason you are not on flight following, then you will dial up the appropriate SFRA sector frequency (in the above NH-OTT-2W5 scenario, 132.77 for PALEO) when about 15 miles or so from the SFRA ring and say "Potomac, Airplane 12345 approaching PALEO, SFRA on file." If you get no answer on that frequency after a few tries, go to the appropriate Approach frequency for that area, which, again, given the route, would likely be 124.55. Eventually the controller will say "Squawk XXXX, remain clear of the SFRA" shortly followed by "Transponder observed, proceed on course clear of the Class Bravo and FRZ." You are not 'radar contact' at this point, but are likely to get traffic advisories. You are free to try and negotiate a Bravo clearance rather than stepping down under the shelf, but you will not be able to cut through the FRZ.

At some point, call "2W5 in sight" and the controller will reply "Airplane 12345, remain on assigned transponder code until you are on the ground, frequency change approved" and then you switch to Unicom.

Hope that helps.

 

[weilke]

At some point, call "2W5 in sight" and the controller will reply "Airplane 12345, remain on assigned transponder code until you are on the ground, frequency change approved" and then you switch to Unicom.

Emphasis added.

If you have a Garmin transponder with VFR button, consciously stop yourself from just hitting that button during the frequency change.

It's always a guy from Maine on the way to North Carolina who gets in trouble.

 

[mkosmo]

Emphasis added.

If you have a Garmin transponder with VFR button, consciously stop yourself from just hitting that button during the frequency change.

It's always a guy from Maine on the way to North Carolina who gets in trouble.

At least you can press it again to get your old squawk back and hope you haven't been interrogated during the mistake.

 

[catmandu]

At least you can press it again to get your old squawk back and hope you haven't been interrogated during the mistake.

When all this started, I was surprised at how quickly interrogations (pun intended) happened, at least according to those who got violated. Reportedly several did exactly as you describe, and they got busted. I did not want to mess with it so I programmed the button to 1234, as a wrong squawk was verified to not be an actionable offense.